Electronic Module

ABSTRACT

An electronic module is disclosed, wherein the electronic module comprises: a module board and a connection board, wherein a plurality of first electronic devices are disposed over a top surface of the module board, and a plurality of second electronic devices are disposed on a bottom surface of the module board, wherein a plurality of first contact points are disposed on the bottom surface of the module board and electrically connected to a plurality of second contact points on a top surface of the connection board, wherein a plurality of third contact points are on a bottom surface of the connection board for connecting with an external circuit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/431,838, filed on Dec. 9, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic module, and more particularly to an electronic module having electronic devices disposed on both sides of a module board.

2. Description of Related Art

In order to put more electronic devices on a module board or a circuit board of a conventional electronic module, electronic devices are disposed on both sides of the module board. When the conventional electronic module needs to connect with a mother board, connectors or cables are used to connect the module board to the mother board, which will not only decrease the electrically performance, but also limit the scalability when stacking multiple module boards. Accordingly, a new solution is needed to resolve the above issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One objective of the present invention is to allow any size of the electronic devices to be disposed on the top and the bottom surface of the module board to increase design flexibility, wherein the main circuit module can be designed first, and then the connection board can be designed for connecting with the module board so that pads on the bottom surface of the connection board can be used to connect with an external circuit.

In one embodiment, an electronic module is disclosed, wherein the electronic module comprises: a module board, wherein a plurality of first electronic devices are disposed over a top surface of the module board, and a plurality of second electronic devices are disposed on a bottom surface of the module board, wherein a plurality of first contact points are disposed on the bottom surface of the module board and electrically connected to the module board; and a connection board, wherein a plurality of second contact points are on a top surface of the connection board, and a plurality of third contact points are on a bottom surface of the connection board, wherein the connection board are disposed under the module board, wherein each of the plurality of first contact points is electrically connected to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of second contact points, and the plurality of third contact points are electrically connected to the plurality of second contact points for connecting with an external circuit.

In one embodiment, the connection board is in an open ring shape with a through opening surrounded by the open ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the through opening.

In one embodiment, the connection board is in a closed ring shape with a through opening surrounded by the closed ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the through opening.

In one embodiment, the connection board comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are disposed along two opposite edge of the module board, and the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed between the first part and the second part.

In one embodiment, the connection board comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are disposed along two opposite edge of the module board, and the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed between the first part and the second part.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of third contact points is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second contact points through a via disposed in the connection board.

In one embodiment, the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect a contact point of the plurality of second contact points to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points, wherein said corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points is not directly under said contact point of the plurality of second contact points.

In one embodiment, the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect two contact points of the plurality of second contact points.

In one embodiment, the module board is a multi-layer module board.

In one embodiment, the module board is a multi-layer PCB board.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a metallic substrate.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a ceramic substrate.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a ceramic substrate.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of first contact points is a SMT pad.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of third contact points is a SMT pad.

In one embodiment, the plurality of first electronic devices comprises an active device and a passive device.

In one embodiment, the plurality of second electronic devices comprises an active device and a passive device.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of first electronic devices is a SMT device.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of second electronic devices is a SMT device.

The detailed technology and above preferred embodiments implemented for the present invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the accompanying advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic module in one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of the connection board in FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The detailed explanation of the present invention is described as following. The described preferred embodiments are presented for purposes of illustrations and description and they are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1A illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic module 100A in one embodiment of the present invention. The electronic module 100A comprises a module board 101 comprising conductive patterns, wherein a plurality of first electronic devices 102 are disposed over a top surface of the module board 101 and electrically connected to the module board 101, and a plurality of second electronic devices 103 are disposed on a bottom surface of the module board 101 and electrically connected to the module board 101, wherein the plurality of first electronic devices 102 and the plurality of second electronic devices 103 form a first circuit through the module board 101, wherein a plurality of first contact points 104 are disposed on the bottom surface of the module board 101 and electrically connected to the module board 101, wherein each of the plurality of first contact points 104 is respectively located higher than the bottom surface of each of at least one of second electronic devices 103; and a connection board 150, wherein a plurality of second contact points 151 are on a top surface of the connection board 150, and a plurality of third contact points 152 are on a bottom surface of the connection board 150, wherein the connection board 150 are disposed under the module board 101, wherein each of the plurality of first contact points 104 is electrically connected to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of second contact points 151, and the plurality of third contact points 152 are electrically connected to the plurality of second contact points 151 for connecting with an external circuit.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of third contact points 152 of the connection board 150 is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second contact points 151 of the connection board 150 through a via 153 disposed in the connection board. In one embodiment, the module board 101 comprises a circuit board, wherein the circuit board can be a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), a multi-layer PCB, or the circuit board can be made of a metallic substrate or a ceramic substrate or a lead frame or any other suitable way.

In one embodiment, the module board 101 comprises conductive patterns or conductive layers for electrically connecting the first electronic devices 102 and the second electronic devices 103. The connection board 150 comprises a through opening 155 so that the second electronic devices 103 can be disposed in the through opening 155.

In one embodiment, the module board is a multi-layer module board.

In one embodiment, the module board is a multi-layer PCB board.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a metallic substrate.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a ceramic substrate.

In one embodiment, the module board comprises a ceramic substrate.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of first contact points is a SMT pad.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of third contact points is a SMT pad.

In one embodiment, the plurality of first electronic devices comprises an active device such as an IC and a passive device such as an inductor or a choke. In one embodiment, the plurality of first electronic devices comprises a sub-module with electronic devices on a smaller circuit board that can be disposed on the module board 101.

In one embodiment, the plurality of second electronic devices comprises an active device and a passive device.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of first electronic devices is a SMT device.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of second electronic devices is a SMT device.

FIG. 1B illustrates a schematic top view 100B of the connection board 150, please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 1B, a plurality of second contact points 151 are on a top surface of the connection board 150. The connection board 150 comprises a through opening 155 so that the second electronic devices 103 can be disposed in the through opening 155. In one embodiment, the connection board 150 comprises at least one through opening 155 so that the second electronic devices 103 can be disposed in the at least one through opening 155. In one embodiment, the connection board 150 comprises a recess (not shown) so that the second electronic devices 103 can be disposed in the recess (not shown), which means there is a portion of the bottom surface of the connection board 150 being disposed under the second electronic devices 103.

In one embodiment, the connection board is in an open ring shape with a through opening surrounded by the open ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the through opening. The open ring shape can be disposed along the edges of the module board, and the shape of the open ring shape can be any shape that forms a through opening 155 therein. For example, it can be a square or a circular or any other suitable form. The connection board 150 can also contains conductive layers for routing the plurality of first contact points 104 or re-position the plurality of first contact points 104 to different positions of the plurality of third contact points 152 when mounting the electronic module 100A to a mother board.

In one embodiment, the connection board 150 is in a closed ring shape with a through opening surrounded by the closed ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the through opening. The closed ring shape can be disposed along the edges of the module board, and the shape of the closed ring shape can be any shape that forms a through opening 155 therein. For example, it can be a square or a circular or any other suitable form. The connection board 150 can also contains conductive layers for routing the plurality of first contact points 104 or re-position the plurality of first contact points 104 to different positions of the plurality of third contact points 152 when mounting the electronic module 100A to a mother board.

In one embodiment, the connection board comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are disposed along two opposite edge of the module board, and the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed between the first part and the second part.

In one embodiment, the connection board comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are disposed along two opposite edge of the module board, and the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed between the first part and the second part.

In one embodiment, the each of the plurality of third contact points is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second contact points through a via disposed in the connection board.

In one embodiment, the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect a contact point of the plurality of second contact points to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points, wherein said corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points is not directly under said contact point of the plurality of second contact points.

In one embodiment, the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect two contact points of the plurality of second contact points.

The present invention offers many advantages including: (a) can put any size of the electronic devices on the bottom surface of the module board to increase design flexibility; (b) the main circuit module can be designed first, and then the connection board can be design to create SMT pads for connecting with a particular motherboard; (c) increase the scalability when multiple module boards are stacked in a vertically direction.

The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof. Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic module, comprising: a module board, wherein a plurality of first electronic devices are disposed over a top surface of the module board and electrically connected to the module board, and a plurality of second electronic devices are disposed on a bottom surface of the module board and electrically connected to the module board, wherein a plurality of first contact points are disposed on the bottom surface of the module board and electrically connected to the module board; and a connection board, wherein a plurality of second contact points are on a top surface of the connection board, and a plurality of third contact points are on a bottom surface of the connection board, wherein the connection board are disposed under the module board, wherein each of the plurality of first contact points is electrically connected to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of second contact points, and the plurality of third contact points are electrically connected to the plurality of second contact points for connecting with an external circuit.
 2. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the connection board is in an open ring shape with at least one through opening surrounded by the open ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the at least one through opening.
 3. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the connection board is in a closed ring shape with at least one through opening surrounded by the closed ring, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices are disposed in the at least one through opening.
 4. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of third contact points is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second contact points through a via disposed in the connection board.
 5. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect a contact point of the plurality of second contact points to a corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points, wherein said corresponding contact point of the plurality of third contact points is not directly under said contact point of the plurality of second contact points.
 6. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the connection board is a multi-layer board comprising a routing trace to electrically connect two contact points of the plurality of second contact points.
 7. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the module board is a multi-layer circuit board.
 8. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the module board is a multi-layer PCB.
 9. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the module board comprises a metallic substrate.
 10. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the module board comprises a ceramic substrate.
 11. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first contact points is a SMT pad.
 12. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of third contact points is a SMT pad.
 13. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first electronic devices comprises an active device and a passive device.
 14. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices comprises an active device and a passive device.
 15. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first electronic devices is a SMT device.
 16. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of second electronic devices is a SMT device. 